Maynard James Keenan: Events and Rituals

The journey known as "Vintage 2012" is almost complete. Not finished, but it's most certainly arriving at a fairly calm station. No more 2 a.m. panic-related insomnia attacks, where I stare at the ceiling going over and over the logistics of a tiny workspace. I'm not about to kid myself; there's still quite a few long days ahead. Just none that involve an adrenaline rush. I've been trying to catch up on a bit of sleep, if there is such a thing. This usually involves a late dinner, a glass of wine, and some commercial-free iTunes downloads.

A few nights ago I woke up on the couch having fallen asleep under these aforementioned circumstances. I was out like a corpse. It was that satisfying borderline-fatigue-meets-insulin-crash type of sleep where you wake up feeling like a limp pile of lead marionettes. Had I hair, I would have most certainly been sporting some Gumby bed head. I found myself staring at Kim Coates (The Last Boyscout, Resident Evil) staring at a transvestite on an episode of Sons of Anarchy. At first I thought I was dreaming, because I don't recall Walton Goggins (Justified, The Shield, Cowboys & Aliens) having breasts, let alone a pair with such - how shall we say -- presence and perfectly executed presentation. I was disturbingly fascinated by Kim's uncomfortably distracted obsession. Now he had me curious. What did he see that I hadn't yet? I then had a startling thought. I looked around to see if my wife was staring at me staring at Kim staring at Walton's divine assets. Good luck explaining that one away.

Kim and Walton are just a couple examples of storytellers whose dedication to their craft has inspired me to do better, to be better, to reach for the unattainable when performing on stage and screen.

When I say "Craft," I don't mean "Arts & Crafts," the kind of stuff you pass over without a glance at an artist co-op, swap meet, or the county fair. I mean "Craft" as in a combination of natural ability and focused hard work needed to develop world-class storytelling skills. There are far too many of these artisans to list in one rant. And rest assured there are many, many more I'd love to comment on. These two just happen to be on my mind at the mo. Like those yet to be listed here someday, they have taken the craft to another level. They're not considered A-list actors or leads as far as I know, although they should be. They are simply the actors I'll go out of my way to watch tell the story and become the character. They are among the many actors I look forward to tricking me into forgetting they're just playing "dress-up pretend" even if it means making me uncomfortable during the observation process.

Truth be told, I was actually formulating a piece on the importance of oral tradition prior to this "event." Having these freaks capture my imagination to this extreme only confirmed that I was meant to at least mention it.

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MJK has the ability and the 'rank' to change the world.. if only people would listen.. or he would maybe speak louder.. in other ways.. John Lennon and the Beatles did it.. i would love to see this happen..

"For those stories to accurately span multiple generations, the architect of the verse must have a firm grasp on the important details and be able to wrap them around archetypal frameworks that speak to our daily lives. And then the architect must also understand the importance of a compelling delivery. A skillful storyteller must be employed to pass down the story. And they in turn must be able not only to pass on the story, but also to pass on the skills necessary to effectively deliver the story."

For those artists who tell stories other than by oratory, bravo! Quilts, painting, photography,songs, novels, plays and the millions of other ways to tell a story that doesn't involve something to be plugged in, in order to receive it, I commend you. However, Mr. Keenan is speaking about oratory. Those that have passed down time honored and universal themed stories generation to generation whether it be by stories told around a fire or in a theatre or in your mind as you read. Examples like, gee I don't know, Shakespear, or perhaps Mark Twain. Then there are "modern" orators, Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Mr. Guthrie, Lennon etc....For me, it's not about "funding" so much as it is about valuing those who we choose to be the voices of our history. Nurture that value, elevate it as a society and as humans sharing the human experience - the funding will take care of itself.

Just a quick observation - 1st article garnered hundreds of comments. We are a fickle bunch :-)

Hmmm...very intuitive. Love the Coates/Goggins reference. I'm sure anyone watching that particular SOA scene was doing the same uncomfortable mental dance. I did as well...so I'm sure there wouldn't be much explaining necessary. I have a hunch she didn't marry due to your Moral Attributes. Besides, it's the surfacing of these situations that make or break it.

Interesting that you mention "B list" actors as among the best, as it seems most of the best actors are not "A list" celebrities, in part because being on the A list makes an actor so famous that his/her celebrity becomes a distraction from the storytelling. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, Reverend, perhaps in a future article, as you are in a rare position to understand the effects of idolatry and fame on storytelling and art more generally. You also know a thing or two (ahem) about transvestite mammaries, come to think of it. Maybe not as good a topic.

Another day to size the day
Carpe dium,to gather ye pollen as ye may.
For what be fraught, and tossed away for yet another day
Will only seep and quietly fade away.
So take this moment, and take this time
In life, to seek out and add your own rhyme.
For as a moment is short, so are our lives
No time to live life through vicarious eyes.
For if the seed we do not plant, the plant shall not grow.
So we only continue to starve, 'till our days grow old.
Wanting and wishing our time not to be of waste
We store and crush our visions, desires, nay! needs as a paste.
For this mask we wear to look like all others
Encasing ourselves deep, within our own slumber.
Constantly chocking, steadily sleeping as we may.
Oppressing our inner child, alas! Never again to let it play.
So grab yet what life you have not thrown away,
And gather ye pollen, carpe dium, go and seize the day!

"For those stories to accurately span multiple generations, the architect of the verse must have a firm grasp on the important details and be able to wrap them around archetypal frameworks that speak to our daily lives. And then the architect must also understand the importance of a compelling delivery."

Seems you're over-thinking it. The architects you're referring to are acting spontaneously; essentially "losing themselves in the charioting". Conduits of the archetype, magicians pulling the unknown out of their hat, surprising themselves and others simultaneously. It surprises me you'd put much weight on a rational approach. Who plans their dreams?

I could definitely do without the itunes reference. It saddens me that all music is somehow being bought from a computer company and making them wealthier than say, oh... maybe the musicians themselves.

But no matter what Maynard writes about, I can't help focusing on the "I've got 3 bands, a vineyard, and I watch Sons of Anarchy and Walking Dead. And now I'm writing this column." WTF, I don't think he'll be happy until he has so much to do he is unable to sleep, lol.

NIce article and point of view. One thing I have to disagree with is your reference to passing by crafts without a glance. If you think I can't tell a story with a quilt you're sadly mistaken. People who have some talent in the art world usually are gifted with more than one. In your case they would be music and wine making so far as I am aware. Try not to denigrate all forms of art, there may be more to it than your own understanding.

A free-market system doesn't give a shit about walking on the moon -- it required an arms race and government intervention(what you yanks call 'stalinism', ironically) to make that happen. If you want the arts funded because they have some long term gain then I suggest you re-evaluate your position on 'entitlement' (which is basically the same as what Reagan and Thatcher were saying -- and, hilariously, it was also a reaction to economic downturn). Again, free markets generally don't precipitate any long term contingencies. You'll have to accept a little 'entitlement', i'm afraid.

Very inspiring article! I could not agree more with you on actors/actresses not being able to "be" the character they have been fabricated to do. Yeah it would be hard to explain that one to the wife as well, ha! :)

Oh I understand completely that Mr. Keenan was actually referencing the orators of our lives. The comment about passing without a glance torqued my jaw ever so sllightly.

Might I also say, without any ill will, that I find it amusing your "modern" orators all seem to come from approximately the same generation about 40 odd years ago so I take it those are the voices of your particular history, I hope we have added to their names since.

From understanding comes ideas and guidance comes belief, from belief comes teaching and structure, from structure comes conformity, from conformity comes question, from question comes pacifism, from pacifism comes the desire to seek understanding, all things combined crushes the last wheel to bring the gift of new understanding, and the need to make a physical history on earth so intelligence, spiritual awareness, and self is not completely lost before what we have goes missing, making our time here a waste. Then generations from now, they can blame it on aliens, just as it is today. :)

Funny, I was born AFTER those 'modern' contributors actually contributed. That was an example list from an era that changed the world. I don't know yet, if anyone currently has changed the world - too soon to tell, for me anyways :-) Great storytellers are to be cherished and the cool thing is, all anyone has to do, is retelll the story, in their own way, to pass it on, and on and on. I would guess that the time honored stories we all know have been refined by the storyteller. I wish I could know what those stories sound like in a hundred years :-)